Sri Lanka won bronze at the 17th Asian Karate Championship of the Asian Karate Federation held in Okinawa (the birthplace of Karate), Japan and came in 16th place, drawing with Hong Kong in the championship points table while Japan reigned.
As Karate continues setting its course to make its Olympic debut in 2020 in Tokyo, the heat at the moment is on the youth karatekas as they prepare for the youth karate debut at the Youth Olympics of Buenos Aires 2018.
This Asian Championship will be the only championship in the region that will award points for promotion for the karatekas to take part at the Youth Olympics. Therefore Sri Lanka too may hold on to hopes of sending representation from the island for Karate at the Youth Olympics, as these wins for Sri Lanka Karate could not have been better timed.
The wins came from P G V Sashenka, B Perera, Imasha Dulanjali and Sanjana Ellepola. Sashenka seized the Bronze medal at the Kata (Female) category while B Perera, Imasha Dulanjali and Sanjana Ellepola too made their way up through to collect bronze medals from the Team Kata (Female) category.
Sri Lanka Karate has been consistent in recording achievements under these categories as Thirimanna also under the Kata (female) category was ranked by the World Karate Federation in the 137th place while Hettiarachchi too managed to secure the 328th rank under the same.
Sri Lanka Karate officials expect that these achievements would no doubt add to the form and morale of the Sri Lankan Karatekas who aspire to take our flag to the Olympics and that the generations to come seem promising in taking Sri Lanka Karate to greater heights.
, Japan and came in 16th place, drawing with Hong Kong in the championship points table while Japan reigned.){kind=link}